Pull mechanism for railway cars



c. v. ROTE. PULL MEcHAmsm Foa RAILWAY CARS.

I APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I9| I92I. V

1 ,428,983, PatentedSept. 12, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

C. V. ROTE.

PULL MECH'ANISIVI FOR RAILWAY CARS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I9, 1921.

` VI www C. V. ROTE.

PULL NIECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CAR$.

APPLICATION HLED sEPT.19. 1921.

1 J128,883, I PatentedSept. 12, 1922,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

SH01 mm1 Fatentecl Sept. 12, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES V. ROTE, 0F LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO E. W'. BROWN, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

PULL MECHANISM FOR RAILVAY CARS.

Application filed September 19, 1921.

To @ZZ 107mm t may concern.'

Be it known that l, CHARLES V. ROTE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pull Mechanism for Railway Cars, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in pull mechanism for railway cars, and has among its objects to provide means by which a train of cars may be started more smoothly and. with less jar than can be done with the draft devices commonly employed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pull mechanism by which the springs of the ordinary draft connection to the couplers will be relieved from the initial strain incident to starting a train; and by which danger of a coupling being detached from a car will be reduced to a minimum.

According to the present invention the draft or pull exerted on a coupling is immediately transferred tothe forward coupling of the next car to the rear so that the last car in a train will be started before any of the cars in advance thereof.

ln the accompanying drawings:-

Figure 1 is plan of the frame-work of a railway car having an embodiment of the invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a side elevation.

Figures 3 and fl are plan views of the improved pull mechanism detached from the car and, respectively, showingthe positions of the several. elements before and after a pull is exerted thereon.

Figure 5 is a vertical section of the parts shown in Figures 1 and 2.

'Figure 6 is a more or less diagrammatic plan of two cars, each provided with an embodiment of the present invention, showing the parts in the positions occupied at the commencement of pull thereon.

Figure 7 is a similar view illustrating the position assumed when a pull has been exert-ed on the forward coupler.

Referring to the drawings, the car frame illustrated comprises a central, longitudinal, box-like sill or girder 1 having vertical webs and transverse sills 2 extending laterally from said central sill. The frame is supported on suitable trucks extending beneath the transverse sills 2.

Serial No. 501,635.

As the invention can manifestly be applied to car frames of various forms, it is not deemed necessary to illustrate more in detail any particular frame.

3, 3', designate the draft couplers arranged at opposite ends of the longitudinal sill 1, and between said sill and the draw bar of each coupler is arranged a suitable draft gear. As illustrated, this comprises a coil spring Ll, the opposite ends of which bear against the plates 5, 6, that, respectively, cooperate with abutments 7, 8, on the' sill 1.

Two bell crank levers 9, 10, are pivotally connected to stationary abutments or lugs projecting from opposite sides of the sill 1, adjacent the coupler 3, similail levers 9', 10', being pivotally connected to the frame adjacent the other coupler 8. As shown, the pivotal connections or fulcrums for said bell cranks are arranged in the projecting ends of bars 11, 11, that extend transversely through the box-like sill 1 and project beyond the opposite sides thereof. It will be evident, however, that the bell cranks might be fulcrumed on lugs projecting from the sides of the sill, the only essential being that such fulcrums are relatively stationary, that is, not adapted to move longitudinally of the girder 1 when force is applied to the bell cranks.

Each bell crank constitutes one member of a toggle, the other member 12, 12, of which has its ends pivotally connected to the bell crank and to a bar 13, 13, that extends transversely of the sill 1 and projects beyond the sides thereof. The projecting ends of the bars 13, 13, are rigidly connected by links 14, and said bars are each adapted to move longitudinally of the sill 1, the latter being'provided with slots 15, 15', through which said bars extend.

rThe outwardly projecting arms of the bell cranks are each connected through rods 16 with the adjacent coupler head 3, 3, and it will be seen that when a pull is exerted on either of said heads the connected bell cranks will be rock-ed and caused to expand the toggles directly connected therewith while effecting a corresponding contracting or closing movement of the other toggles.

In Figures 1, 3 and 6, the parts are shown in the positions occupied prior to starting to pull a train in a left hand direction. It will be seen that in this position the toggles on opposite sides of the sill 1 adjacent the lcoupler 3 are in contracted or closed position, whereas the other toggles connected directly to the coupler 3 are in open or expandedposition. Pull on the coupler 3 will rock the bell cranks 9, 10, about their piv# otal connections to the car frame and effect a bodily movement of the transverse bars 13, 13', to the left in the slots 15, 15. This movement will cause an expansion of the toggles adjacent the coupler 3 and a contraction of the other toggles which are connected to the draw head 3 and the pull eX- erted on this last coupler by the turning movement of the bell cranks 9', 10, will be exerted directly on the forward coupler of the next car to the rear. This adjustment or varying of the relation of the several parts will be duplicated on every car in rear of the one to which draftL is initially applied, with the result that the last car in the train will be started first.`

As previously stated, the draft gear between 'each coupler and the sill 1 may be of the ordinary type. Then originally constructed the parts of such mechanism are so related that the follow plates 5, 6, are normally held by the spring or springs in contact with the abutments 7, 8, on the oar. After a relatively short period of use, however, the springs cease to maintain close contact between such abutments and plates or considerable slack isproduced. As the present invention does not depend upon maintaining close contact between the plates 5, 6, and abutments, but is adapted to take up all of the slack that may have been produced by use,the plates are shown as separated or spaced from such abutments.

In other words, as applicants invention is .not dependent upon actualA normal contact between the plates 5, 6, and'car abutments, these parts have been shown as separated in the drawings. The operation of the parts of the present invention will not be hampered or interfered with if the plates 5, 6, of the friction draft gear are in contact with the car abutments, but it has been thought best lto illustrate these parts as separated to show clearly that the laction of applicants pull mechanism is independent thereof.

According to the present invention, the springs 4 are only necessary in checking buiing movements of the cars.

The improved pull mechanism may be readilyapplied to cars that have been in use for a considerable period of time, so that a maximum amount of slack has been produced in the draft gear or in new constructions such gear may be so proportioned that there is no normal contact between the plates.

5, 6 and abutments 7, 8.

It will be seen that by the construction illustrated and described in which a toggle is interposed between each coupler and the longitudinally movable bars 13, 13', there isA `arrangement of vparts is, as above stated, that in actual use the last car of a train will be started before the cars in advance thereof.

In addition to furnishing a connection between the coupler and bell cranks, it will be seen that the rods`16 serve as a means for supporting thecouplers from the car frame. As commonly mounted, thek couplers 'are supported solely bv the draw bars, and it frequently happens that this connection is broken, causing the coupler to fall and frequently effecting de-railment of the car. The rods 16, however, extending as they do through the sill 1 at opposite sides' of the draw bar, provide an additional support or connection for the coupler and materially strengthen this portion of the mechanism.

It is thought that the operation' and ad' vantages of the improvements will be readily understood from .the foregoing description in connection with the drawings. f

As shown diagrammatically in Figs. 6 and 7, and also in Figs. 3 and 4L, the partsvare so arranged that prior to a pull in either direction the forward togglesv are contracted, while the rear toggles of each car maybe expanded. The parts are brought to this position by the engineer moving the locomotive to properly adjust the cars by bunching them, and when a forward pull is eX- erted on the coupler 3 this movement through the link and toggle connections is immediately transferred to 4the rear car of the train so that the cars in advance are started without any sudden pull or jerk, which, under ordi- Y pivotally connected to the car frame, theA connection between one of said members and the frame being movable in the direction of the length of the frame and the connection of the other member to the .frame being fixed', a` rigid connection be'- tween the said movable members of the toggles, and a connection between each toggle and the adjacent coupler.

2. The combination with a" railway car frame having a draft coupler at each end. of two toggles each having the outer end of one arm pivotally connected to a stationary part of the car frame, meansconnecting the other arms of the toggles and bodily movable longitu-dinally of the car frame, and a connection between each toggle and the adjacentcoupler.

3. The combination with a railway car frame having a draft coupler at each end` of two bell crank levers each having one arm pivotally connected to a stationary part of the car frame, a link pivotally connected at one end to each bell crank and forming therewith a toggle, a rigid connection between the other ends of said links lmovable longitudinally of the car frame, and a connection between the other arm of each bell crank and the adjacent coupler.

4. The combination with a railway car frame having a draft coupler at each end, of two bell crank levers each having one arm pivotally connected to a stationary part of the car frame, a link pivotally connected at one end to each bell crank and forming therewith a toggle, a rigid connection between the other ends of said links including a member extending through a slot in the car frame and movable longitudinally thereof, and a connection between the other arm of each bell crank lever and the adjacent coupler.

5. The combination with a railway car frame having a draft coupler at each end and a central longitudinal sill, of toggles arranged on both sides of the sill, each having one member pivotally connected to the sill by relatively stationary pivots, links connecting the other members of the toggles on each side of the sill, a connection between said links extending transversely of the sill and movable longitudinally thereof, and rods extending from each coupler to the adjacent toggles on both sides of the sill.

6. The combination with a railway car frame having a draft coupler at each end and a central longitudinal sill, of bell cranks on both sides of the sill adjacent eac-h coupler, one arm of each bell crank being pivoted to a stationary portion of the sill, a link pivotally connected to each bell crank and forming therewith a toggle, means connecting said links and engaged with the sill to move longitudinally thereof, and rods connecting each coupler with the other arms of the adjacent bell cranks on both sides of the sill.

7. The combination with a car frame having a draft coupler at each end and a central longitudinal sill, of a bar extending transversely of the sill and movable longitudinally thereof, two toggles on each side of the sill between said bar and the ends of the car, each of said toggles having one member connected to said bar and its other member connected to a stationary projection on the sill, and connections between each coupler and both of the adjacent toggles 8. The combination with a car frame having a draft coupler at each end and a oentral longitudinal sill provided with longitudinal slots that open through its sides, a bar extending transversely through said slots and movable longitudinally therein, two toggles on each side of the sill between said bar and the ends of the car, each of said tog'gles having one member connected to a stationary projection on the sill, and connections between each coupler and the adjacent toggles on both sides of the sill.

9. The combination with a railway car` frame having a draft coupler at each endand a central longitudinal sill provided with two transverse slots, a bar extending transversely of the sill through each of said slots and movable longitudinally of the sill, a rigid connection between said bars, two toggles on each side of the sill each having one member connected to one of said bars and its other member connected to a stationary part of the sill, and connections between each coupler and both of the adjacent toggles.

10. The combination with a railway car frame having a draft coupler at each end and a central longitudinal sill provided with two transverse slots, a bar extending transversely of the sill through each of said slots and movable longitudinally of they sill, a rigid connection between said bars, four bell cranks each pivotally connected to a stationary part of the sill between said bars and the ends of the frame. a link connecting each bell crank with one of said bars, and rods connecting each coupler with the other arms of both adjacent bell cranks.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES V. BOTE. 

